Device for metal treatment

ABSTRACT

A device for removal of surface metal during passage of lengths of metal at elevated temperature through a shaving tool which engages the metal all around with means for cooling the metal as it issues from the shaving tool comprising a slotted tube mounted for movement into and out of the path of the metal with means for introducing a cooling fluid into the interior of the tube.

United States Patent [191 Tviksta Nov. 27, 1973 DEVICE FOR METALTREATMENT [75] Inventor: Evald Tviksta, l-lofors, Sweden [73] Assignee:La Salle Steel Company, Hammond,

Ind.

[22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 237,153

[52] US. Cl. 72/342, 72/286 [51] Int. Cl. B21c 3/14 [58] Field of Search72/39, 40, 286, 342

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,835,462 12/1931 Busey72/39 3,131,814 5/1964 Prott 72/286 3,093,897 6/1963 Lemyre et al...72/39 1,008,808 11/1911 Farkas 72/286 2,336,771 12/1943 Beaman 72/2868/1941 Fisher 72/286 2,252,365 6/1938 Schuster 72/286 PrimaryExaminer-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-M. J. KeenanAtz0rneyMcDougall, Hersh & Scott [5 7 ABSTRACT A device for removal ofsurface metal during passage of lengths of metal at elevated temperaturethrough a shaving tool which engages the metal all around with means forcooling the metal as it issues from the shaving tool comprising aslotted tube mounted for movement into and out of the path of the metalwith means for introducing a cooling fluid into the interior of thetube.

5 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure DEVICE FOR METAL TREATMENT This inventionrelates to the removal of surface metal from lengths of material ofuniform cross-section advanced through a processing die, such as ashaving tool which engages the metal all around to effect removal of asurface layer and it relates more particularly to the means and methodfor the treatment of metal wire to effect removal of surface metalduring passage from an unwind drum to a windup drum.

The first purpose of the treatment is removal of surface layers of metalin which fine cracks could have been introduced during rolling ordrawing of the wire, tube, rod or other lengths of metal of uniformcrosssection. The cutting depth or layer of metal removed will varyusually within the range of 0.01 to 0.25 mm and generally about 0.15 mm,when measured in the radial direction or direction perpendicular to thesurface.

The invention will be described with reference to the broaching orshaving of wire to effect removal of surface metal but it will beunderstood that the inventive concept will have application also to theremoval of surface metal from rods, tubes and other lengths of metal oruniform cross-section and to the treatment of the inner and/or outersurfaces of such tubular members.

In order to avoid further defects of the wire, when it is furtherprocessed through the machine, and by rubbing when being wound up on thecollecting or windup drum, the wire should be cooled. The cooling shouldtake place immediately after the wire has passed the shaving tool but,because of the limited accessibility at the exit side of the shavingtool, in hitherto known devices, it has been difiicult at the beginningof the operation to fasten the leading end of the wire, which is fedthrough the tool, to the pliers on the rewind drum.

Thus it is an object of this invention to provide a means and method forcooling the metal immediately after issuance from the shaving tool orother die means employed for metal treatment.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention willhereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not oflimitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the Drawing whichis a schematic diagram of an arrangement of apparatus embracing thefeatures of this invention.

In accordance with the practice of this invention, the cooling devicecomprises a slotted tube provided with an inlet and an outlet forcooling means. The tube is mounted for movement transversely to the pathof the wire through the machine and can be moved from a position out ofthis path to a working position in which it surrounds the wire after theend of the wire has been fed through the tool and clamped to the rewinddrum.

With reference now to the drawing, the coil from which the wire 4 isdrawn is identified by the numeral 1. The wire is fed first through arectifying means 2 and thereafter through a high frequency heater orfurnace 3.

The scaling or shaving tool 5 is mounted in the side wall of a box 6 inwhich the wall faces the furnace and in which the box comprises thefirst face of a cooling device for the wire. For this purpose, coolingliquid is fed into the hollow interior of the box through a feed pipe7a. The wall of the box opposite to the tool is provided with an openingdimensioned to be sufficiently large to enable easy access to the wirein the box for connection to the pliers of the drawing means 10 whichconsists of a second drum on which the wire is rewound after. havingbeen treated.

Closely adjacent to the opening 15, a second cooling face is provided.This is in the form of a slotted tube 8 which is supplied with coolingfluid through a feed pipe 7b at its mid-portion. The tube 8 ishorizontally disposed in its working position so that fluid will flowaxially through the tube for escape at both ends.

In order to be able to reach the wire end within the cooling box, it isimportant for the second cooling face to be moved aside during thesetting up to feed the end of the wire to the gripping means. For thispurpose. the tube 8 is mounted on a support 16 which in turn is mountedfor radial movement by an amount to displace the tube out of thepath ofthe wire so as to free the opening 15. The tube 8 is also formed with alongitudinal slot so that the wire can be inserted in it.

Cooling fluid is also sprayed from a distributor over the periphery ofthe drum 10 during the rewinding operation. The distributor is fed froma pipe 70. A collecting trough 11 is provided beneath the drum 10. Thefluid is fed from the trough through a pipe 18 to a heat exchanger 17and then from the heat exchanger it is recycled to the supply pipes 7a,7b and 7c.

The fluid from the first and second cooling faces is drained onto abaffle plate 13 over which it flows downwardly to the collecting vessel11. By reason of the fact that the cooling fluid is recirculated in thismanner, a

fluid can be selected to achieve a desired temperature and degree oflubrication. To prevent the scaled-off material or shavings, which canbe very voluminous, from affecting the process, a protective tube 14 ismounted in advance of the shaving tool and is shaped in a manner suchthat the chips are forced to pass outwardly of the tube while the wirepasses internally therethrough.

It will be apparent that the described cooling concept can be utilizedfor cooling wire or other lengths of uniform cross-section which arepassed continuously through a processing die, such as a draw die,extrusion die and the like, in which a cooling effect is desired to beapplied to the metal immediatelyupon issuance from the processing die.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details ofconstruction, arrangement and operation without departing from thespirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A device for the metallurgical treatment of lengths of metal oruniform cross-section advanced continuously through a tool at elevatedtemperature with means for cooling the metal upon issuance from thetool, comprising an elongate slotted tube having a passage extendingcontinuously therethrough from an inlet at one end to an outlet at theother, means mounting the tube for movement transversely into and out ofendwise alignment with the tool to provide access to the leading end ofthe metal as it issues from the tool when outside the path and to enablethe metal to pass through the tube when in endwise alignment with thetool, and means for introducing a cooling fluid into the tube forcooling the metal as it passes therethrough.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the tool is a die throughwhich the metal is advanced.

passage of the metal therethrough from the tool, and means forintroducing a cooling fluid into the interior of the box.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which the tube is located adjacentthe back wall of the box to restrict the opening when in alignmentposition.

1. A device for the metallurgical treatment of lengths of metal oruniform cross-section advanced continuously through a tool at elevatedtemperature with means for cooling the metal upon issuance from thetool, comprising an elongate slotted tube having a passage extendingcontinuously therethrough from an inlet at one end to an outlet at theother, means mounting the tube for movement transversely into and out ofendwise alignment with the tool to provide access to the leading end ofthe metal as it issues from the tool when outside the path and to enablethe metal to pass through the tube when in endwise alignment with thetool, and means for introducing a cooling fluid into the tube forcooling the metal as it passes therethrough.
 2. A device as claimed inclaim 1 in which the tool is a die through which the metal is advanced.3. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the tool is a shaving toolwhich engages the metal all around for removal of surface metal as itpasses through the tool.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1 whichincludes a cooling box having a front wall and a back wall, toolreceiving opeNing in the front wall in which the tool is mounted and anopening of large dimension in the back wall in alignment with theopening in the front wall for passage of the metal therethrough from thetool, and means for introducing a cooling fluid into the interior of thebox.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 4 in which the tube is locatedadjacent the back wall of the box to restrict the opening when inalignment position.